Associated Press writer Lauran Neergaard, in her article published by the Vancouver Sun, reports on the recent findings of Canadian researchers citing the relationship between obese mothers and the children born to them before and after weight loss surgery. According to the study, a child is more likely to become obese when the mother herself is obese at childbirth. Here's the surprising discovery, though: if the same mother were to undergo obesity surgery in order to lose weight, the child's own obesity-related genes can behave differently in more positive ways. Obesity surgery, however, for all its promise, is a far expensive solution for expectant mothers who are ready for a change. For all practical purposes, going all-out with your exercise regimen might be your next best bet at losing weight. Obese or not, exercise and a balanced diet are two invariable elements in achieving total health and fitness – techniques that Metrotown gym trainers, such as those you'll find at She's Fit!, can help anyone with. The study, published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, involved children from the same family—those conceived after the mother has had weight loss-related surgery, and those born before it. The study suggests that children born after their mother had undergone weight loss surgery turn out leaner than their siblings who were born before the surgery. It's also been found that the former carried fewer risks of obesity-related conditions, such as diabetes and heart disease. These studies all but seem to

Randy Shore, writing for the Vancouver Sun, reports on a study by the University of British Columbia that shows an alarming spike in adult obesity in the country between 2000 and 2007, breaking the record as the highest rate, thus far, in Canadian history. Even in British Columbia, where obesity rates were reportedly lower and where people are found to have healthier lifestyles, the number of obesity cases between 2008 and 2011 increased by 25 per cent, according to the Canadian Community Health Survey. Obesity is defined as having excess fat, where fat accumulation starts to pose some health risks. These health risks include various conditions and diseases such as diabetes, coronary heart disease, hypertension, stroke, and gynecological problems like irregular menstruation or infertility. Although the solution to fight an expanding waistline varies from person to person, common proven methods include a healthy diet and regular exercise – programs with which a Burnaby gym like She's Fit! can help. An adult with a body mass index (BMI) between 25 to 29.9 is considered overweight; a person whose BMI exceeds 30 is obese. A healthy BMI falls between 18.5 to 24.9. To calculate your BMI using the metric unit, multiply your height in meters, then divide by your weight in kilograms. According to report, the highest rate of obesity is found in provinces at the Atlantic Maritime, where one in every three adults is considered obese. Findings of CCHS lead researcher Carolyn Gotay showed that the number of obese women have been progressively increasing

The escalating cases of obesity today may actually be traced to the history of sugar consumption, according to an article published in June in the Chilliwack Beacon News. Written by Dr. Paul Martiquet, Rural Vancouver Coastal Health's medical health officer, the article cites a BBC report suggesting that obesity could have started in the 1960s, when people found a cheaper alternative to traditional sugars. Obesity, which has become a global concern, is a condition characterized by excessive body fat, which may potentially cause severe health problems. In Chilliwack, BC, 19,484 residents are reportedly overweight, based on the recent study by the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS), and public awareness on healthier living is being beefed up. Residents are encouraged to join a fully-equipped Chilliwack gym such as She's Fit! to shed those excess pounds. Exercise won't be enough, though; overweight people have to rethink what they eat. Before the '60s, in the wake of two world wars, food had been scarce, leading people to consume less. During the decade, however, food producers began to tap high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS), a cheaper alternative sweetener from corn waste, to make bread, meat, pizza, pastry, and soda. Since HFCS was affordable, people consumed bigger portions of food that contain the sugar substitute. It eventually became the principal sweetener for processed foods and beverages. Dr. Martiquet says the increased consumption of HFCS coincided with the growing number of people with obesity problems, as evidenced by the difference in average weight of British citizens now and 50 years

Danielle Bradbery's victory wasn't the only thing that astonished the world in The Voice last June 18. Christina Aguilera dazzled everyone as she shared a performance with Pitbull, sporting her newly-trimmed figure after struggling with weight loss for the past few years. According to her, sticking to a diet plan, along with rigorous exercise, got her through the tough climb. You don't need to be a star nor even rich to have a fit, healthy body. A regular routine of exercise in one of the excellent North Delta gyms in British Columbia, along with the appropriate diet regimen, could bring you closer to that hourglass figure you've always wanted. As much as it did for Christina, what one would need more than anything is the motivation to get fueled up enough to keep on one's diet and exercise regimen for as long as it takes. Turn Negativity into Fuel Think about motivation as the fuel to carry you through your goal of physical fitness; now think of criticisms, judgments, and negative comments about your figure as the raw materials for this fuel. By turning negativity into a positive motivating force, you can drive right to your goal faster than when you see negativity as roadblocks or excuses for ending your quest. Christina, in multiple interviews, had repeatedly stressed that her critics became a source of motivation. Keep Positivity Close It's also quite plausible for some sources to claim that Christina's new boyfriend, Matthew Rutler, may have been another driving force in her weight loss. It

How many times have you read about these eight or fifteen-minute workouts being touted as the incredible new way to keep fit? A June 24 article in the New York Times Health and Science section reports that health experts have been recommending short but intense truncated workouts to adequately fulfill important measures of optimal health. In fact, at a recent meeting conducted by the American College of Sports Medicine, the hot button issue there was not how much and how long but how short a time possible the body can start to reap the optimal benefits of exercise. While you might find the prospect of short workouts at home in British Columbia quite convenient, don't discount the vast information that substantiates the benefits of prolonged workouts at a well-outfitted Surrey gym, for instance. Voluminous evidence already exists that gym sessions, coupled with a healthy diet, still remain one of the best ways to build muscle strength and lose excess weight. The New York Times article also pointed out that although a few minutes of intense exercise everyday may condense the energy expenditure of what amounts to 75 minutes of vigorous workout per week, the jury is still out on its long-term effects. Dr. Paul Thompson, a cardiologist at Hartford Hospital in Connecticut, poses the question that experts at the conference are trying to formulate for another study: how do you figure out just the right amount of exercise for everybody? Everyone agrees that the body benefits even from small amounts of exercise